Go Take a Hike!
On the Trail with Companion Dog Patrol

by Sasha Futran

There are 15 volunteer dogs and handlers helping to promote an enjoyable and safe experience throughout the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). Called the Companion Dog Patrol, they are one of five groups that include a mounted, hiking and a bicycle patrol. Denise Blackman and her dog Gilly can be found out on the trails helping people who are lost or politely reminding visitors of the rules for dogs when necessary. Blackman also tests and certifies the dogs for their job.

Q: Tell me about the Companion Dog Patrol. Where do you go and what do you do?

Blackman: East Bay Regional Park District is in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties and has over 1000 miles of trails. The Companion Dog Patrol is about 15 years old. We are people who like to hike with our dogs and enjoy the parks. I can go to any of the parks that allow dogs. I just call dispatch and tell them where I’m going and then let them know when I am leaving. I need to work eight hours a month, but other than that I can go hiking with my dog wherever I want and whenever I want to as long as dogs are allowed.
The general task is to be the eyes and ears of the park district, to look for any problems and let park staff or police know if something occurs. We also let people know the rules, help them find their way around or tell them about neat places they might enjoy.

Q: Can a dog go to any of the parks within the district, and are there a lot of places where they can be off-leash?

Blackman: In terms of dogs, EBRPD is one of the few that have generous rules. There are multiple user groups in many areas. You can find horses, bikes and dogs, as well as people hiking or picnicking. There are some parks, not many, where dogs aren’t allowed off-leash, and a few that don’t allow dogs at all. In general, the wilder the area, the more likely dogs are allowed off-leash, but they do need to be under voice control. That is key. On paved trails, in parking lots and at picnic areas dogs need to be on a leash. There are some special protection areas where dogs aren’t allowed, such as in marshland or where EBRPD is trying to reestablish a creek, for example, and most lakes are off limits.

Q: When working as a volunteer in the parks, what might you need to do?

Blackman: With so many different types of uses, it works if everyone is respectful of others. We want to be sure that dogs can continue to use the parks, so we might be reminding someone to call their dog to them if a horse and rider are on a trail, or to pick up after their dogs, keep them on leash in the parking lots and around picnic areas, that sort of thing. Sometimes we are called on to help with special events and that might be without our dogs as well.

Q: What attributes does a dog need to be suitable for the Patrol?

Blackman: The dogs need to be calm, friendly and not easily spooked by a variety of situations. They need to be under voice control, and recall is the most important. We do the American Kennel Club Canine Good Companion test with some modifications. They need to have a good ‘stay’ as well, but don’t need to be perfect. What is important is if they can be left with another person when their handler is out of sight without barking. They can whine a little, but no barking. They have to sit quietly for petting and walk past people and other dogs quietly.
The dogs are tested for the different distractions they might encounter in the park. We use horses, bikes, a motorcycle, and a fire engine with the siren going. They need to be well behaved for the kinds of situations we might encounter in our work in the parks. We talk to people with and without dogs, we encounter horses, and if there is an emergency there can be loud emergency vehicles, so they need to be okay in that setting. If something is going on, we may need to ask someone to hold our dog while we are helping and out of sight.
I work with people and their dogs during the certification process, so if they have a problem with one part of the test I’ll help them and they can retake the test. All our dogs get retested annually as well.

Q: What’s a memorable experience you’ve had when testing or out with your dog?

Blackman: We held an annual certification at Temescal once that happened to be at a time when there was an exercise program for moms and they had their babies with them. The babies had just gone to sleep when the fire truck arrived with the siren sounding off. One of the dogs started howling and then all the dogs started to howl. We were all going “Oh, no,” but the babies just kept sleeping. By the way, it’s okay for the dogs to howl during the test.
At this time of the year people are used to going hiking a lot and they aren’t expecting the light to suddenly drop. They end up lost. I had a jogger recently in one part of the park and someone with a problem in another part of the park. I needed to get a flashlight to the jogger and then head over to the other end. We have radios from the park district so we talk to dispatch and can also hear any calls for help that come in. That’s usually what we might be dealing with in terms of any problems.

Q: If someone is interested in joining the Companion Dog Patrol what should they do? Do they need to be in really good physical condition?

Blackman: If what you normally like to do is just a half a mile on flat terrain, that’s fine. You don’t need to be in great shape. Basically, you just do what you would normally do when at one of the parks with your dog. It’s mostly helping people find things, stay safe, and follow the rules. People can call the EBRPD or check out the website for full information including an application form. It’s at www.parkpatrol.org/cdp.

About the Author
Sasha Futran is a dog trainer and behaviorist. She does home visits for issues, problems, and private obedience training in the East Bay. She also holds beginning and intermediate classes in Berkeley and teaches recall and loose leash walking workshops. She can be reached at www.companyofdogs.com.